A new highway plan calls for spending $1 billion over two fiscal years to repair bridges and pavements in Kentucky.
The proposal by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was presented to the state legislature for consideration.
The KYTC calls it a “safety first” approach, noting that more than 1,000 bridges in the state are deteriorated and need to be replaced or repaired within six years. The plan would boost spending by 50 percent a year on bridges, from $122 million to $179 million, and says that failing to do so will only make the problem worse.
“For every year repairs are delayed, 150 bridges drop into the poor condition category, further adding to the backlog of aging bridges and roads,” says KYTC Secretary Greg Thomas.
About one-third of the bridges needing work would be addressed during fiscal years 2018 to 2020, the KYTC says.
The plan also calls for a huge boost in funding to repair road pavement, from $17 million to $324 million a year.
“Without a funding increase,” KYTC says, “an estimated 6,000 miles will be added to the current $1 billion backlog of pavement repairs in the next six years.”
